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Jail population sees uptick
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The inmate population at the Warren County Jail is currently at 266, which could potentially affect the medical contract if it stays above 250 consistently. 

At the County Corrections Partnership Committee meeting this week, Jail Administrator Kevin York updated the commissioners on the inmate population. He said there was a total of 266 inmates - 209 male, 57 female and 14 TDOC. 

“We have seen an uptick in population as of late,” said York. 

“That is like 30 more from last month,” said Commissioner Steven Helton. 

“It is hard to tell exactly because of the variation of charges. It is somewhere between 10 and 12 for homicide that are awaiting trial or some have been here as long as four years. A lot of these are pretty serious charges coming in. 57 percent of the numbers we have are pretrial,” said York. “Once they are done with their misdemeanor time, we are at 61 percent of the people in jail who are awaiting sentencing of some sort or trial. It is the majority of them.” 

“We have an uptick of, according to my numbers, 35. Is there any indication of what has caused that?” asked Helton. 

“There are a lot of pretty hefty sentences that Judge Moore is handing out that is going to keep some in here for several days,” said Sheriff Jackie Matheny Jr. 

Matheny said there are more warrants to come so the population could rise in the next few weeks. The jail is currently under contract with Southern Health Partners which can increase the price if the population consistently stays above 250. If the inmate population goes above 250, the jail would have to pay $1.25 per inmate. Commissioner Kasey Owens mentioned this during the meeting. 

“I have a question regarding the population and the health services we have. What was that number before they started adding?” asked Owens. 

“Everything is based on 250. We won’t see a big increase in anything unless we consistently run those numbers. If we consistently run those numbers or the population grows they will come back to the table and say we need to do something,” said Matheny. 

“Do you have any idea how long of a period it has to be above 250 before they renegotiate that?” asked Owens. 

“I think that will be up to them,” said Matheny. “I would say if we go two or three months consistently with that then they would probably start talking to us.” 

Matheny said he has been in contact with the state and informed them they are overcrowded and he was told as soon as beds become open the state will try to help. 

“The population is usually lower in the winter,” said York. “Right now we have some very serious stuff. I have never seen so many people in on homicide and attempted homicide and things of that nature. It is a pretty big uptick in violent crimes, especially in the city, that I have noticed lately. Most of them haven’t been ours, but the city has had some very serious cases lately. And of course, the bonds are high on these.”

Helton noted that most of the increase came from female inmates. 

“You said 57 females?” asked Helton. “So our big increase is actually in the female population.” 

“There has been a pretty significant uptick in females,” said York. 

“That actually doesn’t hurt us as bad because we have more capacity in the female population,” said Helton. 

“We are not as over right now as you would think we are just because it is on the female side,” said York.